Apparatus for Predicting Bone Fracture Risk

1. Apparatus for predicting bone fracture risk in a osteoporotic patient, comprising: a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry scanner configured to scan a body area of the patient to thereby produce a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the body part within said body area; an image analysis module configured to perform shape analysis using an Active Shape Model and to perform texture analysis of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image to thereby generate an image data set representative of aspect of the shape of body part and the structure of bone within the body area; and a data comparison module having a database of comparative data sets from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry images of control subjects, to compare the Active Shape Model data set generated from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient with the comparative data sets in the database by examining how the location of landmark points deviates from a mean co-ordinates of the comparative data sets, to thereby predict the risk of bone fracture in the patient.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the body part is a proximal femur.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 configured to analyze different body parts.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 configured to analyze more than one of proximal femur, wrist, ankle, hand, and spine.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image analysis module is configured to analyze aspects of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image using Fourier transforms and Principal Component Analysis, for generating a texture data set representative of the texture of the body part.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image is digitised and regions of interest identified in the image, from which a power spectrum is obtained from a Fourier transform of each region of interest, and profiles of each region produced, the Principal Component Analysis generating a data set from each profile, which is to be compared with the database of comparative data sets.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 is configured to compare i) a value obtained from comparison of the image data set for the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient or subject with the database of comparative data sets, with ii) bone mineral density data obtained from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image.

8. An apparatus for measuring the progression of a disorder which affects the shape and/or trabecular structure of bone in a patient, the apparatus comprising: a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry scanner for scanning a body area of the patient to thereby produce a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of a body part within said body area; an image analysis module configured to perform shape analysis using an Active Shape Model and to perform texture analysis of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image to thereby generate an image data set representative of aspects of the shape of the body part and the structure of bone within the body area; and a data comparison module comprising a database of comparative data sets from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry images of control subjects, to compare the Active Shape Model data set generated from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient with the comparative data sets in the database by examining how the location of landmark points deviates from a mean co-ordinates of the comparative data sets, to thereby provide a measure of the progression of the disorder in the patient.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the disorder is osteoarthritis.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the disorder is Paget's disease.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the body part is a proximal femur.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8 configured to analyze different body parts.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 for analysing more than one of the proximal femur, wrist, ankle, hand and spine.

14. The Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the image analysis module is configured to analyze aspects of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image using Fourier transforms and Principal Component Analysis, for generating a texture data set representative of the texture of the body part.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image is digitized and regions of interest identified in the image, from which a power spectrum is obtained from a Fourier transform of each region of interest, and profiles of each region produced, the Principal Component Analysis generating a texture data set from each profile, which is to be compared with the database of comparative data sets.

16. The apparatus according to claim 8 configured to compare i) a value obtained from comparison of the image data set for the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient or subject with the database of comparative data sets, with ii) bone mineral density data obtained from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image.

17. An apparatus for predicting a risk of osteoarthritis in a patient, the apparatus comprising: a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry scanner for scanning a body area of the patient to thereby produce a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of a body part within said body area; an image analysis module configured to perform shape analysis using an Active Shape Model and to perform texture analysis of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image to thereby generate an image data set representative of aspects of the shape of the body part and the structure of bone within the body area; and a data comparison module comprising a database of comparative data sets from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry images of control subjects, to compare the Active Shape Model data set generated from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient with the comparative data sets in the database by examining how the location of landmark points deviates from a mean co-ordinates of the comparative data sets, to thereby predict the risk of osteoarthritis in the patient.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the body part is a proximal femur.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 configured to analyze different body parts.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17 configured to analyze more than one of the proximal femur, wrist, ankle, hand and spine.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the image analysis module is configured to analyze aspects of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image using Fourier transforms and Principal Component Analysis, for generating a texture data set representative of the texture of the body part.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image is digitized and regions of interest identified in the image, from which a power spectrum is obtained from a Fourier transform of each region of interest, and profiles of each region produced, the Principal Component Analysis generating a texture data set from each profile, which is to be compared with the database of comparative data sets.

23. The apparatus according to claim 17 configured to compare i) a value obtained from comparison of the image data set for the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient or subject with the database of comparative data sets, with ii) bone mineral density data obtained from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image.

24. The apparatus for measuring non-pathological changes in a subject associated with age, gender, body mass index and/or genetics, the apparatus comprising: a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry scanner for scanning a body area of the subject to thereby produce a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of a body part within said body area; an image analysis module configured to perform analysis using an Active Shape Model shape and to perform texture analysis of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image to thereby generate an image data set representative of aspects of the shape of the body and the structure of bone within the body area; and a data comparison module comprising a database comparative data sets from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry images of control subjects, to compare the Active Shape Model data set generated from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient with the comparative data sets in the database by examining how the location of landmark points deviates from a mean co-ordinates of the comparative data sets, to thereby provide a measure of said non-pathological changes.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the body part is a proximal femur.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24 configured to analyze different body parts.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24 configure to analyze more than one of the proximal femur, wrist, ankle, hand and spine.

28. The apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein the image analysis module is configured to analyze aspects of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image using Fourier transforms and Principal Component Analysis, for generating a texture data set representative of the texture of the body part.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 , wherein the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image is digitized and regions of interest identified in the image, from which a power spectrum is obtained from a Fourier transform of each region of interest, and profiles of each region produced, the Principal Component Analysis generating a texture data set from each profile, which is to be compared with the database of comparative data sets.

30. The apparatus according to claim 24 configured to compare i) a value obtained from comparison of the image data set for the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient of subject with the database of comparative data sets, with ii) bone mineral density data obtained from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image.

31. The apparatus for quantifying deformation of a proximal femur of a patient, the apparatus comprising: a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry scanner for scanning a body area of the patient to thereby produce a Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of a body part within said body area; an image analysis module configured to perform shape analysis using an Active Shape Model and to perform texture analysis of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image to thereby generate an image data set representative of aspects of the shape of the body part and the structure of bone within the body area; and a data comparison module comprising a database of comparative data sets from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry images of control subjects, to compare the Active Shape Model data set generated from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient with the comparative data sets in the database by examining how the location of landmark points deviates from a mean co-ordinates of the comparative data sets, to thereby quantify deformation of the proximal femur.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein the image analysis module is configured to analyze aspects of the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image using Fourier transforms and Principal Component Analysis, for generating a texture data set representative of the texture of the body part.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32 , wherein the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image is digitized and regions of interest identified in the image, from which a power spectrum is obtained from a Fourier transform of each region of interest, and profiles of each region produced, the Principal Component Analysis generating a texture data set from each profile, which is to be compared with the database of comparative data sets.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31 configured to compare i) a value obtained from comparison of the image data set for the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image of the patient or subject with the database of comparative data sets, with ii) bone mineral density data obtained from the Dual X-ray Absorptiometry image.